NANAIMO, THE HARBOUR CITY - HOME TO INCREDIBLE DIVING

Known as the "Harbour City" for its incredible downtown harbour, Nanaimo is the second largest city on the Island and offers guests a myriad of activities and attractions. Acknowledged by professionals as one of the best diving locations in North America, the waters around Nanaimo cater to divers of all skill levels. Snake Island became the site for one of Canada’s newest artificial reefs, a remarkable dive setting, when the 111.5-m (366-ft) HMCS Saskatchewan was sunk in a 1997 project sanctioned by the Cousteau Society. Cameras are a must with the amazing array of sea life residing in the area around the reef. The world’s largest octopus on record was found here, and huge tubeworms range in colours from stunning orange to turquoise.

MARINE FESTIVAL - WORLD FAMOUS BATHTUB RACE - MARINE FESTIVAL
Visit Nanaimo during the last weekend of July, and join the locals in celebrating the weeklong Marine Festival with the locals. Since 1967, Nanaimo has been host to the Great Race - that bathtub race that is! Each year contestants participate in the time-honored "Sacrifice to the Bathtub Gods" boat burning ceremony the evening before the race. The following day, racers head out from Nanaimo Harbour, around Entrance and Winchelsea Islands, and finish at Departure Bay. Other highlights of the Marine Festival include street markets, a parade, and the Festival of Lights & Music fireworks display.

NANAIMO … HUB OF VANCOUVER ISLAND
Nanaimo, BC is located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, 113 km north of Victoria, and 55 km across the Strait of Georgia from Vancouver. The city projects out into the strait like a headland, affording waterfront on three sides, and spectacular ocean views at every turn. BC Ferry terminals in Departure Bay and Duke Point link Nanaimo directly to the Vancouver metro area, and smaller ferries offer service to and from several islands pressed up against the shore here. Gabriola Island, Protection Island, and Mudge Island (without ferry service) are home to small communities, while forest and field-covered Newcastle Island is designated as a provincial park. The local landscape is defined by Mount Benson, which rises 1,006 metres (3,300 feet) just west of Nanaimo, and the Nanaimo River estuary, the largest estuary on Vancouver Island, which flows into Nanaimo Harbour at the south end of the city. Population: 76,173 Elevation: 30 m (98 ft.) Average July Temperature: 18ºC (64ºF) Average January Temperature: 2ºC (36ºF) Annual Rainfall: 105 cm (41 in.) Annual Snowfall: 93 cm (37 in.)

NANAIMO COAL MINING HISTORY
Nanaimo became a coal mining town in the mid-1800s, when the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), better known for its fur trading operations, began to explore the rich coal deposits near the harbour. Many local neighbourhoods commemorate Nanaimo’s coal mining history: Northfield, Newcastle, Extension, Wellington, and South Wellington are all former mining communities. In spring of 1854, the HBC ran a series of advertisements in British newspapers aimed at attracting skilled workers to the Nanaimo coal mines. The ads were a success, and in June of that year 24 British miners and their families set sail from London aboard the HBC’s sailing ship Princess Royal. They finally arrived in Nanaimo on November 27, 1854 after a long journey around Cape Horn.

NANAIMO'S ECONOMY
The original economic driver was coal mining; however, the forestry industry supplanted it in the early 1960's with the building of the MacMillan Bloedel pulp mill Harmac in 1958, named after Harvey MacMillan. Today the pulp mill is owned by the employees and local investors and injects well over half a million dollars a day into the local economy. The largest employer is the provincial government with NCO Group call centre a close second. The service,retail and tourism industries are also big contributors to the local economy. A recent surge of higher-density real estate development, centred in the Old City/Downtown area, as well as construction of a city-funded waterfront conference centre, have proven controversial. Proponents of these developments argue that they will bolster the city's economy, while critics worry that they will block waterfront views and increase traffic congestion. Concerns have also been raised about the waterfront conference centre's construction running over its proposed budget. The current council is working hard to solve illegal drug and motorcycle club issues, including hiring security personnel to patrol certain areas of the downtown core. Nanaimo has also been experiencing job growth in the technology sector.

Nanaimo Homes Average Sale Price

• Nanaimo homes average sale price 2007 - $ 343,168
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 2006 - $ 288,880
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 2005 - $ 253,038
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 2004 - $ 219,872
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 2003 - $ 182,108
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 2002 - $ 161,428
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 2001 - $ 148,757
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 2000 - $ 150,419
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 1999 - $ 150,947
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 1998 - $ 150,221
• Nanaimo homes average sale price 1997 - $ 159,382

Nanaimo Condo’s Average Sale Price

• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 2007 - $ 214,406
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 2006 - $ 189,964
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 2005 - $ 154,785
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 2004 - $ 120,051
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 2003 - $ 97,147
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 2002 - $ 103,235
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 2001 - $ 97,373
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 2000 - $ 83,140
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 1999 - $ 101,865
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 1998 - $ 107,224
• Nanaimo condo’s average sale price 1997 - $ 119,784